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Tocchet and Canucks Under Fire for Management of Hughes’ Injury

The Vancouver Canucks are in tough without Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson: Is this on the Canucks for how they’ve managed injuries?

by
Old Prof
December 30, 2024

In an injury update, the Vancouver Canucks will be without two of their biggest stars, Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson, for their upcoming road games against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday and the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. Head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed Sunday that both players will be sidelined with undisclosed injuries and provided updates on their expected returns.

What’s interesting is the narrative that Tocchet might be partially responsible for the latest update on Hughes, and this isn’t the first time the team has come under fire for how they’ve managed injuries to some of their top stars.

The Canucks Injury Timeline

The injury update on Quinn Hughes is that the all-star defenseman and the team’s captain is considered week-to-week with an injury sustained during the Dec. 23 game against the San Jose Sharks. Despite being a game-time decision, Hughes played through the injury without hardly missing a beat. He logged 24:45 of ice time and registered two assists in a 4-3 victory. Tocchet praised Hughes, saying, “He’s just a tough kid, and he won us the game with a couple of assists.”

Tocchet denied that allowing Hughes to play did any further damage to an existing issue, but he’s being questioned anyway. Jeff Paterson tweeted, “I asked Rick Tocchet about the wisdom of Hughes playing the San Jose game on the 23rd.” The response was “Well, he couldn’t have hurt what he has any more.” Tochett added, “We’re all hockey players. You want to play. He gutted it out for us and we won the game.”

The question now is, ‘At what cost?’

Quinn Hughes Canucks captains out week-to-week with an injury

Hughes has been a cornerstone for the Canucks this season, putting up 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) and holds a plus-14 rating in 34 games. His absence leaves a significant hole in Vancouver’s blue line.

For the Canucks, The Tough Losses Keep Piling Up

The injury update on center Elias Pettersson is that he’s expected to be out for approximately a week, give or take a day. Filip Hronek is likely due back soon, but he’s still out. And Thatcher Demko hasn’t been the same since returning from his long-term injury. There were questions about Demko playing just ahead of last season’s playoffs in meaningless games.

Originally, the Canucks said Hughes was just “banged up.” Tocchet initially downplayed the severity, saying, “I don’t think it’s too bad.” The team has a history of saying things aren’t as bad as they tend to be. These injuries are starting to wreak havoc on the team’s on-ice results. One X.com user asked, “Is there a worse medically managed team in this league? Just so many instances over the years that I don’t think you see it with any other team and not with this frequency.”

Is there a worse medically managed team in this league? Just so many instances over the years that I don’t think you see it with any other team and not with this frequency.
— MD Stewart (@DocStewartMD) December 29, 2024

Despite the setbacks, Tocchet emphasized the importance of stepping up without key players.
“You play the cards you’re dealt,” he said. “Guys are getting opportunities and must handle certain situations correctly. These reps will make us better in the long run.”

What’s Next for the Canucks?

The Canucks are already working through a challenging stretch of games. They suffered a disappointing 5-4 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. The team gave up a 4-1 lead by allowing three goals in the final 4:45 regulation. Adding to the team’s challenges, defenseman Filip Hronek remains on injured reserve with an upper-body injury sustained on Nov. 27 against Pittsburgh.

Although Pettersson has not had his typical elite season, he’s been a consistent offensive force for Vancouver, tallying 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 34 games.

The Canucks (17-10-8) will need to rely on their depth as they head into an arduous road trip. With their captain and star center sidelined, Vancouver faces an uphill battle but remains focused on maintaining their playoff position. Someone else has to step up, but who will it be?